"Master plan" says abandoned buildings on campus may be no more

Oct. 4, 2013

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Written by

Dulce Torres

Contributing writer

Ezell and Abernathy Halls remain in almost the same condition as when they were evacuated in 1999.

Though they were dorms for 27 years,a mistake in the initial pouring of the concrete during construction created fragmentation in the walls and ceilings, which caused the ceiling to begin falling apart.

“It’s a condition commonly called spalling,” said Debs Sells, vice president of student affairs.

After being alerted, officials determined that the buildings were unsafe. Students arrived at their dorms to find evacuation notices and were given a week to leave. Although the buildings were never officially condemned, the university determined that the buildings could not be salvaged because renovation expenses were too great.

There was no real urgency to tear them down either. Instead, Ezell Hall was renovated on the ground floor, adding a recording studio, a fossil museum and faculty offices. Abernathy, with its crumbling walls, has largely been used as a storage facility.

Faculty and students mainly inhabit the first floor of Ezell. While some worry that the conditions are not as stable as they appear, others are primarily glad to have working space.

“It could be worse, at least I have an office. We have enough room, so we can do lessons,” said Douglas Bielmeier, recording industry professor.

Others find advantages to having an unoccupied building. Police are able to use the building to train their officers.

“We have scenarios set up in a portion of the building,” said Broede Stucky, training coordinator and public information officer. “Our officers work through the preplanned scenario using training equipment, like a simulated arms training.”

Although the buildings add quite a story to the campus, faculty and students agree that the former dorms cannot remain as they are.

“They have to do something with this building,” said Dongwan Kim, a senior majoring in recording industry.

Officials plan to tear down the buildings in the near future. Referring to a “master plan,” MTSU is hoping to have a new classroom building in the near future.

“Abernathy will probably come down first because that site there is a prime site for a new building,” said John Cothern, senior vice president.

However, getting a new building is not easy.

“To get buildings funded by the state takes quite a long time. You have to get into the system, prove your need for the building. You’re competing with everybody else in the state.”

He uses the new science building as an example, saying that it took well more than 10 years to get state funding. The approval process may take another five or more years.

“Right now we are in the process of updating our master plan to present to the state board of regents and the state building commission,” Cothern said.